13-R-0020_Questions_and_Answers.doc

SOLICITATION NO. FA4417-13-R-0020

PROJECT: REPAIR RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTING

PROJECT NO. FTEV 12-1096

QUESTIONS - ANSWERS

21 Aug 2013

I.

QUESTIONS:

Question 1: Sheet E-1: Under General Note 6. The drawings state to delivery all of these items to the lighting vault and turn over to the Government.

a. Are none of these items required to be installed by the Contractor?

b. In specs, para 2.09 states that the CCR supposed to be installed. Please clarify.

Answer 1: a. None of the items are required to be installed by th

Contractor

b. The specifications for Hurburt Field projects are generic, and are not edited from project to project. The installation of the CCR is not required for this project.

Question 2: If the CCR has to be installed by the Contractor, here are some of our questions:

a. On Sheet E-10, which will it replace CCR noted 3 or 4?

b. If not being replaced, where shall it be located and powered from?

Answer 2: a. Both of the noted regulators are to remain.

b. None of the items are required to be installed by the contractor. The new CCR will be turned over to the Government Question 3: Does runway lighting have to be operational at the end of each work day, or can it be out overnight?

Answer 3: The runway lighting shall be operational at the end of each work day.

Question 4: Will there be mandated work hours, or can we set our own?

Answer 4: In accordance with Specification 26 56 20, 1.07, B, the contractor shall coordinate the proposed work locations and times of operation with the Contracting Office. This includes Weekends, holidays and any military down day closures, dawn to dusk.

Question 5: Will we be required to work on weekends or at night?

Answer 5: Yes, weekends and holidays and any military down day closures. According to General Note 5 on Drawing E1, the contractor must perform work on the thresholds on weekends. Other work on the airfield can be scheduled during normal working hours, but the contractor shall not be permitted to negatively impact flying missions Question 6: Will the cutting and patching have to be completed on the same day?

Answer 6: Yes. In accordance with Specification 26 56 20, 1.07, E, “At the end of each work day, all ditches will be filled.”

Question 7: Can we haul debris off in a trailer or do we need a dumpster?

Answer 7: Either method is acceptable, as long as the trailer has solid walls that will prevent debris from dislodging and creating FOD on the airfield.

Question 8: Will the runways be out of service while we work? Flights in and out?

Answer 8: A closure request will be submitted for each weekend the contractor is planning to work. Unless the contractor coordinates a runway closure with the Contracting Officer and Base Operations, the runways will be in service during the contractor’s work (both inbound and outbound flights).

Question 9: How many uninterrupted work hours can we reasonably expect to have each day of the week?

Answer 9: Working during weekend airfield closures should minimize interruptions. The interruptions will vary from day to day, or week to week, according to the mission schedule. The contract has 180 days for completion. The contractor shall provide all necessary labor, material and equipment to complete the project within this time period.

Question 10: On any given day of work, will we have to stop and restart, if so, can you give us a reasonable expectation to the number of delays per day and length of the delay?

Answer 10: No. Working during weekend airfield closures should minimize interruptions. Even with a closure reasonably expect interruptions; SOF often requires short notice mission support. The contractor will undoubtedly be required to stop and restart his work on any given day. The interruptions and durations will vary according to the mission schedule. The contract has 180 days for completion. The contractor shall provide all necessary labor, material and equipment to complete the project within this time period.

Question 11: Please confirm that the material listed on Note 6 of Sheet E-1 is to only be supplied and stored at the airport. Will there be any incidental material for these items required? I.e.

power/control wire for the regulator, breaker for the regulator, base cans or transformers for the guard lights, etc.

Answer 11: None of the items are required to be installed by the contractor. There are no incidental materials required.

Question 12: Are the ground rods in the manholes/handholes referenced on Note 2 Sheet E-1 exposed in the manholes/handholes? If the ground rods are external to the structures, how is the contractor to make connections to existing ground rods?

Answer 12: Bond only to ground rods that are exposed in the manholes/handholes.

Question 13: Regarding Note 2 Sheet E-1 are the ground lugs on the base cans internal or external? If not internal, should the contractor include installing new internal ground lugs for every base can?

Answer 13: It is very likely that the ground lugs are external, if they exist at all. We suggest that the contractor include new ground lugs for every base can in his bid.

Question 14: Note 4 on Sheet E-1 states that the contractor may have to work in manholes and handholes with live circuits. Please confirm that the contractor is expected to work in manholes and handholes with energized circuits.

Answer 14: The contractor shall be required to work in manholes or handholes with energized circuits Question 15 Will a flying schedule be provided once the project starts?

a. The plans are not clear whether the contractor will be able to work during normal working hours. Note 5 on Sheet E-1 references night and weekend work. For the purpose of bidding, should we figure all work to be at night and/or weekends?

Answer 15: No 15a. The thresholds work is required to be done on weekends. The remaining work can be accomplished at the contractor’s discretion, but the contractor will not be permitted to negatively impact flying missions.

Question 16: Sheet E-4, where the asphalt is removed from the edge light to install the conduit to the hold position sign, can the contractor backfill with concrete to finished grade in lieu of asphalt patching as shown in the details on Sheet E-15?

Answer 16: Due to the minimal amount of cutting and patching required, patching with concrete would be acceptable. There is a 2” conduit in place from a taxiway light can to a can in the grass. No asphalt cutting will be required.

Question 17: On Sheet E-13, the details for the light bases show to disconnect the existing ground connection from the existing ground lug. It appears on the drawings that the ground lug is external to the base can. If it is external, how is the contractor expected to disconnect the existing grounding connection? The only way I can think of is to core through the existing pavement which seems very costly.

Answer 17: Cut off the ground conductor on the outside of the base can concrete encasement and remove the ground conductor to the ground rod.

Question 18: The details for the light fixtures on Sheet E-13 state to provide P606 sealant around the fixture head after the light is reinstalled. This seems very unusual. Typically, P606 is installed around the dam ring – not the light fixture itself, and the dam ring should not need to be removed to remove the fixture and make new connections to the transformer.

Is the contractor expected to remove the dam rings? If not, does the contractor really need to install P606 sealant around each light fixture?

Answer 18: P606 will only be required if the existing sealant around the flange ring is disturbed. Otherwise, no sealant is needed.

Question 19: Sheet E-15, what size conductor is the counterpoise shown on the One Way 2” Concrete Encased Duct Detail? #4 BSDC like shown on the sign detail on the same page?

Answer 19: # 4 soft drawn bare copper Question 20: Basic Electrical Requirement Section 26 56 20 -6 Part 3 Para 3.02 e.

a. Counterpoise wiring in this section is only for the new Hold sign? Please clarify.

Answer 20: Counterpoise is only required where a new circuit is run in a new duct. Counterpoise already exists above all existing ducts.

Question 21: E-11 and E-12 the only work require on the Existing North and South Threshold is provide connections to (2) isolation transformers as noted. Contractor is not to rewire existing threshold lights correct? Please clarify.

Answer 21: All of the existing threshold lights must be connected to the new series lighting circuit. All of the existing threshold lights have one transformer, except the bidirectional fixtures which have two transformers.

Question 22: Drawings indicate the reuse of existing Isolation Transformers. It is our experience that the insulation value of transformers degrades just as the insulation value of Airfield Lighting cable. The issues of low resistance readings the Airfield is experiencing may just as well be caused by the degradation of the insulation of the transformer as the degredation of the insulation of the Airfield Lighting cable.

It is our recommendation that the transformers be replaced as well. Specifications call for the system to be tested as a whole. Testing the new Airfield Lighting cable system with the existing transformers would not be an accurate measurement of the integrity of the system. If the government decides to reuse the existing transformers, we the contractor, recommend that only the Airfield Lighting cable shall be tested in sections (as installed) to verify the resistance of the newly installed cable.

Answer 22: The existing transformers are to remain. Testing the new cables is addressed in Specification 26 56 20, 3.03, G., “First Test on New Circuits.” The entire circuit shall be tested according to the Specification 26 56 20, 3.03, G., “Test on Existing Circuits.”

Question 23: Do all existing flush mount fixtures have flange rings? Drawings indicate the installation of P606 epoxy around existing flush mount fixtures after new cable installation. Drawings do not show a flange ring.

If flush mount fixtures do not have flange ring, we do not recommend installing the epoxy as it will lock the fixture in place and make it very difficult to remove.

Answer 23: P606 will only be required if the existing sealant around the flange ring is disturbed. Otherwise no sealant is needed.

Question 24: Drawings indicate to disconnect existing ground rod from existing light base cans in paved surfaces.

Existing light base cans are located in asphalt areas, in order to remove the existing ground rod in these areas cutting and repairing of the paved surface would be required. The typical installation method for a counterpoise system when using the internal #6 ground wire as indicated on the drawings is to have the #4 counterpoise wire separated from the light base can with a minimum distance of 1'. In this situation, this is unachievable due to the fact the existing counterpoise system is bonded to the light base can encased in concrete. We recommend the existing ground rod installed for two reasons. 1) The desired outcome is unachievable due to the existing conditions of the counterpoise system as described above. 2) It would eliminate cost of removal and repair of existing asphalt surfaces.

Answer 24: Cut off the ground conductor on the outside of the base can concrete encasement and remove the ground conductor to the ground rod. Abandon the ground rod in place. It is unknown whether the can is grounded to a rod or to the counterpoise, but in either case, the can must only be grounded to the new safety ground conductor run with the series lighting circuit.

Question 25: Threshold Lighting is not shown on sheets E-2 and E-8 and requiring new wiring. Sheets E-11 and E-12 show new connections for dual lighting transformers, note #1. Does the new wiring stop at the handholes as shown on sheets E-2 and E-8, or is new wiring and transformers connections required in threshold fixtures as shown on E11 and E-12?

Answer 25: All of the existing threshold lights must be connected to the new series lighting circuit. All of the existing threshold lights have one transformer, except the bidirectional fixtures which have two transformers. New wiring and transformer connections are required as shown on E11 and E12.

Question 26: Sheet E-3 Notes #3 and #4 show 2 ground wires while all other sheets show only 1 ground wire for each circuit. Is the second #6 Green XHHW ground required for all other sheets as well?

Answer 26: No. Two ground conductors are only required where both series lighting circuits are routed together in the same duct. Where one series lighting circuit is routed through a duct, only one ground conductor is required.

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